Electrolytic apparatus.



' PATENTED APR.16,'1907-.

A. G. BETTE. ELECTROLYTIC APPARATUS.

cross-section of an end cathode coinpartinent, taken on the broken hne 6 6 in Fig. .1.

resents a tank orvat, preferably liltLdO'Of ANSON- G.. BETTS, OF TROY, NEW YORK.

ELECTROLYTIC APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 1c, 1907.

Application filed May 11,1904. Serial No. 207,367.

1/?) all Irritant It Hem ,1 concern:

Be it known that I, ANsoN G. Burrs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Troy, county of licnssela-er, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrolytic Apparatus, of which the followii'ig is a specification.

The invention. relates to such improvements, and consists of the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter do scribed and subsequently claimed.

Reference may he had to the accompanyingdrawings, and the reference characters mar 'ed thereon, which form apart of this sper... ation.

Similar characters refer to similar parts in the several figures therein. 7

Figure 1. of the drawings is a top plan View of my improved electrolytic apparatus, partly broken away for convenience of illustration. Fig. 2 is vertical longitudinal section'ol" the same, taken on the broken line 2- 2- in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isfa vertical cross-sec tion'o'f the same, taken through one of the cathode-compartrnents on the. brokenline 3 3 in. Fig. 1. Fig. 4 :is a similar View taken through one oi the anode-compartments on the broken line 4 4 in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of the l :t't-hand end of the apparatus as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a vertical This invention relates to electrolytic apparatus adapted for various uses, the same being particularly adapted in certain of its features for use where it is desirable to keep the anolyte separate from the catholyte, andheing' particularly. adapted for the electrolysis of ferrous-sulfate copper-sulfate solutions for the production of metallic copper and ferricsulfate solutions, also for diminishing by mechanical means the corrosion of an insoluble anode during such electrolysis.

The object of the invention is to providca cheap and'durable electrolytic apparatus for the uses stated. I

Referring to the. drawings, wherein the invention is shown in its preferred form, 1 repwood, provided with a ermt-inuouslead lining 2. The tank is dividcd into'a' series of com partnicnts by means of transverse partitions 3, which t'cndpart way across the interior of the tank. The partitions are separated one from another along their bottom edges sistance to the by sills 4,1:csting on the bottom of the tank,

and along their vertical edges'by uprights 5 of the same width as the sills 4 and seated in notches 6 in said sills. (See Figs. 8 aud t.) Each sill and the pairof uprights seated thereon constitute a spacingfraine adapted to separate from one another by a definite distance the two partitions on opposite sides thereof, and said partitions and spacing frames alternately arranged extend from one end of the tank approximately to the other pnd thereo, sullicient space only being left or. tween the assembled partitions, spacingframes, and the end of the vat, as shown in Fig. 2. Said wedges are driven tightly into position to force the alternately-arranged partitions and spacing-frames into close engageinent with each other, so as to provide water-tight joints therebetween. I prefer the use of the wedges to secure such tight joints; but the wedges maybe omitted, prothe insertion of a pair of wedges Z boy 'vided the partitions and spacing-frames.

tightly engage one another in series.

The sills 4 may extend the whole width of the tank; but the partitions are preferably of less length than the interior width of the tank, and the uprights 5 areerected in line with the vertical edges of said partitions, thereby-leaving a pair of longitudinal cha'mbers 7 and 8,'extending along the opposite sides of the tank from end to end thereof The alternate compartments formed by said partitions and spacing-frames are in comn1unication with the longitudinal chambers 7 and 8 by means of inlet-apertures 10, formed in the upper portion of the uprights adjacent to the chamber 7, and outlet-apertures 11, formed in the lower portion of the uprights adj accnt to the other chamber 8. The other conlip'artments are closed to both chambers 7 am. 8. chambers 7 and 8 are adapted to contain the anolyte in contact with the anodes 12 while the other compartments, as well as the cham- The compartments closed to the bets 7 and 8, are adapted to contain the oath-- olyte in contact with the cathodes 18, sup-' ported in said compartments, respectively.

The partitions separating the c01hpartments are preferably. made of some strong rigid 1naterial,-. such as-.woo .l, and are rewidc'd with numerous perforations l4, wliich are filled with wads of asbestos 17 orother material ad: pted to allow theready passage of the electric current, but tooiler great re passage of the electrolytes therct'hrough. The apertures in the parti lead, s late, glass, & c., may be used for the m t partitions, While charcoal, porous wood, or For the purpose of securing circulation of 7c earthenware ma the used ior i'ililng the par'fothe anolvte I extend along the opposite sides rations, it being desirable that the partitions Tof the vEit a pair of troughs 19 and 20, supshould have suiliciont rigidity and strength rt d u h i g l crosepieces 21 1 to form a support for the porous fillingieces terposed between the vat-walls and the end lnserted in the partition-apertures an that of the partitions and the spacing-uprightsl 7 5 thciilhng-pieces should be sufficiently porous The trough 19 is connected with the bottom to permit lree passage of the electric current, f h d -C p tm t by means f while resisting the passage of the electrolytes siphon-tube 22, which extends up over the therethrough. The compartments are pref-' spacing-upright adjacent to said trough, and erably so arranged that the. end compartin like manner the trough is connected'8c ments are cathode-compartments, formed in .with theupper end of each anode-com art part by the lead lined Va .W l the ment by a s1 hon-tube 23, whichextemis up Wedges '6, as the lead lining of the vat is not ev r th n hb i i w i hp A1;

attacked by the catholyte. The anolyte, l one end of the vat is provide' an exteriorlyhowever, which would have an injurious aclocated Well 24, with the lower end of which 8 5 tion upon the lead lining of the tank, is re- .the trou h 19 is connected by means of a siventcd from contact therewith by confine phon-tulve and with the up or end. of mentin theanode-compartments, as above which the trou h. 20 is connecte by means. explained, I Y of a tube 26; 1 pipe 27, leadingfrom a su,

As a means for causing the circulation .of ply of air underpressure, is projected nearly 90 the catholyte fromthe chamber..7 through to the bottom of said well, and the air therethe apertures 10 into the upper portions of. Ibydeposited near the bottom of said well various of the cathode-compartments, thence rises in bubbles through the well-contained out through the apertures 11', from the'lower anolytc, raising the level of the same in the ends of said compartments into the chamber well above the general level of the anolyte 5 8, and thence back into the chamber 7, I and causing a flow through the tube 26 into place in one of the end cathode-compartthe trough 20. This'o oration tends to conmerits a diaphragm or partition 15, parallel tinually lower the love of the a nolvte in the with and a short distance from the spacingtrough 19 and toraisc its level in the trough upright at one end thereof, said partition exl 20, causing a ilow tl'irough-the siphons 22 and 100 tending above the level. of the catholyte and 23 from the trough. 20 into the-upper ends to apoint a shortdistance from the bottom of the respective anod,e-compartments and of the compartment. The end upright adthrough the siphons 22 from the lower ends jacent to said partition is provided with an l of said anode-comp'artments back into the aperture 16, the lower edge of which is trough 1.9. 10; slightly above h -g n l l lo he ho- 'The cathodes 13, which are in the form of ly e, Which aperture opens to chamber 7. lates, are suspended by means of hooks pipe 18, lea ing from asupply of air under iiom nctallic cross-bars 31, which re' pressure, is projected nearly to the bottom of l spectivel.y,-at their outer ends upon the spacthe well formed between said end upright irg-uprights at the respective outer ends, of I10 and said partition, as shownin Fig. (Land the cathode-compartments and at a point the air escaping from the lower end of said. midway between the sides of. the tank upon pipe and rising through the catholyte in said a contact-rod 32, which rests u 011 a bar 33, wr .1 causes sald catholyte within the Well to which extends longitudinally aiong the midrise toa level higher thanthe general level of die of the vat, resting upon the upper ends of 1 I 5 the catholyte in the remainder of the vat and the respective p::,i*ti.i ns. 'The contac" rod to overflowv t e bottom ofthe aperture 16, 32 is connected Lay-wire with the no through which it passesinto the neighboring ole of an cloc lrir l generator. (Not shown.) chamber 7, tending-to raise the level of the lhe a .110 forrnot rods depending catholy-te in said chamber. The catholyte from metal cross-bars 36 of a carriage 37, 1'20 thus caused t'o'iiowu into thev chamber 7 is mounted upon rollers 38, adapted to rest taken from the chamber 8 through the botupon and travel longitudinally along the top torn opening F1 in the adjacent upright at surface of the side walls of the vat. The the end of the compartment having the well, metal cross-bars from which the anode-rods ilnuugh which compartmentit passes'bedepend are connected "by a metal rod 39, 1c 5 noath the insoriml partition 15 into said well. which is connected by a wire 40 with the posi- The result of this operation is a constant t'cnd-- tive; pole of said electrical generator. ency to raisethe level of the catholyte'in "the" To-and-fro movements'can e imparted to chamber 7 and reduce itsflevel in the charm; the'anodemarriage bymeans of the lever 41,

tions are preferably formed as closely together as possible withoiitdeqtroying the rigidity of the partition. 0 .:.:;cr material, as rubber,

her '8, causing through the upper apertures 10 into the respectlve cathode-compartments andjthrough the lower apertures 11 out of said comparta ityifl f the th lyt connected at its upper end. with. said car riage by link 2, which lever fulcrumcd at 13 upon, the end wall of the vat and is connected at its lower end with a rod 14, to which reciprocating inovcl'nents are imparted by the crank 45, with. which said rod is conhectod'by a pitman-tfi. The crank 45 may be operated by power in any known I manner, and the rod 44v may he -z-:-;. mulled to operate the anode-carriages of a number of tanks, if desired. During electrolysis to-andfro movements are thus in'iparted to the anodes within. their respective compartments, which movements 1 have discovered materially diminish polarization and increase the life of the anodes. A rmtiprocating motion of one-inch amplitude has been found to give good results.

Various materials may be used for the anodes and cathodes, such. as lead and carbon for the anodes and lead, copper, and carbon for the cathodes. 'lhc troughs 19 and 20 may be made of lead, if desired, as they are easily accessible and can be quickly replaced when their usefulness has been impaired by the action of the anolyte.

For certain purposes of the above invention a suitable catholytc may consist of an aqueous solution jcontainin about four per ccnt..of iron. in the form 0' ferrous sulfate, two and one-half per cent. of copper in the form of copper sulfate, and two per cent; of free sulfuric acid; and a suitable anolyte may consist of an. aqueous solution containing about three per centlof iron in the form of ferric sulfate, one percent. of iron in the form of ferrous sulfate, three-fourths per cent. of; copper in theform of copper sulfate, and tiyo per centrolifrce sulfuric acid, the same being substantially free from halides. By the term halide I mean the simple combination of a halogen or cyanogen with an element, ammonium or equivalent.-

My ap )aratus as above described is suitable for t c electrolysis ofsolutions for other purposes than metal deposition and product'ion of oxidizing solutions in the anolyte. For instance, oxidation and reduction of or ganic substances may be carried on in the anode and cathode compartments, respec- ,tively.

Thelevel, of the catholyte is indicated by the 'brpke n line50 and the level of the anolyte by thcb roken line '51 aS Shown in Figs. 3 and 4. I make no claim .hereiii to the process or method above disclosed, the same forming the subject-matter of another a plication filed by me February 16, 1905, erial No. 245,884.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure bvi-Lctters Patent, is

1. In an electrolytic tank and iIPcombination, a lining of lead, certain compartments inQaidtank containing an anolyte which conttins dissolved a pcroxidized compound of a metal, and certain other compartments in l the tank containing a catlmlyte substantially free from said compr',-und; an intervening layer of catholytc between the anolyte and said lining; and anodes immersed in the ano- .lytc and cathodes in the cathol'yte.

2. In an electrolytic apparatus, the combination With a vat or tank; an electrolyte containing an oxidizable ingredient; of insoluble anodes, and means for imparting to the an.- odcs a reciprocating movement through the electrolyte.

3. In an electrolytic ap iaratus, and in combination, a vat or tank l'iaving compartments separated from one another by Walls pcrvious to the electric current and substantially impervious to the electrolytes; in certain of said compartments insoluble anodes, and an anolytc containing peroxidizedcompound of a metal; in the other of said. compartments, a catholytc containing a compound of the same metal in a lower state of oxidation, and cathodes on which metal is electrodeposited and means for imparting to the anodes a movement through the anolyte.

4. In an electrolytic ap iaratus, and in combination, a vat or tank, liaving compartments separated from one another by walls pervious to the electric current and im crvious to the electrolytes; in certain of sair compartments insoluble anodes, and an anolytc containing ferric and ferrous sulfates; in the other of "said compartment-s a catholyte containing ferrous and cupric sulfates, and cathodes on which copper is electrode osited; and mcans for imparting to the ano es a move- "1ncntthrough.the anolyte.

5 Inan electrolytic tank, and in combination, anode-compartments containing a liquid, in which is dissolved an. oxidizable intherein, and cathode compartments separated from said anodecompartments by suitable electrolytic diaphragm, containing a solution in Which is immersed a cathode; and means for imparting to the anodes motion through the anolyte.

6. 11 an electrolytic tank, and in combination; anode and cathode com artments therein, separated by suitable e ectrolytic partments, gle to said diaphragms, said troughs containing anolyte, and communicating- With the anode-compartments by means of siphons; with means for causing a motion of anolyte from one of said troughs to the other. 7 In combination With an electrolytic tank, containing separate compartments for anolytc and catholytc, said compartments being separated by suitable electrolytic diaprhragms, a movable frame above said tank, om which depend insoluble anodes, diping into the anolyte, and means for impartmg to said-frame a reciprocating motion.

8. In combination with an electrolytic gradient, and insoluble anodes immersed diaphragn'is; troughs exterior to said com and horizontally placed at an an- ICC ANS-ON BETTS.

Witnesses:

FRANK C. CURTIS, E. M. .OREILLY.

mnk. mmluinmg separate compartments for l :|;1nl \'ll aml valholyte, said compartments] lwing H(}):l'l'll((l by suitable electrolytic dial phragms, a u'novable frame above said tank, from which depend carbon anodes, dipping intqthe anulyte, and means for imparting to said frame a lccipl wat-ing motion. 

